How & When to Use Yoga Mudras in Pranayama

Apr 23, 2021
7 min read

How to quiet power of yogic hand gestures can shape your breathwork practice.

By PRANA EDITORS | Updated: May 11, 2025

When we think of pranayama, the focus is usually on the breath: its depth, direction, or rhythm. But in the previous article, we discussed just how important your sitting posture is, and now it’s time to explore another subtle, yet powerful aspect of breath-based practices: your hands.

Quick overview: In yoga, the way you position your hands and fingers during breathwork can do more than just look graceful. These gestures, called hasta mudras, can shape your mental focus, regulate pranic energy, and even guide the breath in specific directions.

In this Article: Meaning | Functional Mudras | Meditative Mudras | FAQ

In this guide, we’ll explore how to use yoga mudras—those iconic hand gestures often seen in yoga images—but specifically in the context of pranayama. We’ll discuss which mudras are vital to certain techniques, when to start incorporating them into your practice, and how to choose a mudra that complements your mental state, spiritual goals, or intention.

What are Mudras or Yogic Hand Gestures?

In most pranayama practices, you sit in a meditation posture with your hands resting on the thighs or knees. It’s perfectly fine to rest them in your lap in a relaxed, natural state, but yoga also offers another option: to form symbolic hand gestures known as hasta mudras.

The Sanskrit words hasta means “hands,” and mudra means “seal” or “gesture.” In the context of yoga, hasta mudras are hand gestures used to seal energy and/or express the intention of your practice, which in turn influences the movement of prana (life energy) within the body.

Mudras are very common in meditation, but they’re also used in pranayama, especially as your practice becomes more advanced. Some mudras are essential to the technique itself, like Vishnu Mudra in Alternate Nostril Breathing. Others, like Chin Mudra or Adi Mudra, are optional and meditative. But they are frequently used to enhance focus and support your intention.

There are dozens of mudras in yoga and you don’t need to learn all of them at once. The best approach is to start with those that are a part of pranayama techniques. Once you’re comfortable with breathwork, you can begin exploring meditative mudras to enrich your practice.

Editor’s Note: This article focuses specifically on hand mudras for pranayama. To learn more about the five types of mudras used in yoga, such as Kaya Mudras (postural gestures) and Mana Mudras (face gestures), check out the Mudra Page on our website.

Functional or Technique-based Mudras in Pranayama

Most yoga mudras are optional or symbolic in nature. But a few play a direct and necessary role in certain pranayamas. There’s no traditional term for this. We call them functional or operational mudras because they are essential to execute the technique properly.

In simpler words, these mudras aren’t add-ons for extra benefits. They are built into the breathing method, and here are three examples of hand gestures integral to pranayama:

Vishnu Mudra: This gesture is used in alternate nostril breathing practices like Nadi Shodhana. The index and middle fingers are folded into the palm, while the thumb and ring finger are used to close or open the nostrils. [Read Full Guide]
Nasikagra Mudra: This gesture is similar to Vishnu Mudra, but instead of folding the index and middle fingers, you keep them extended and touch their tips to the forehead. It helps direct your awareness to the Ajna (Eyebrow center) Chakra. [Read Full Guide]
Shanmukhi Mudra: This gesture is a part of Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breathing). It is used to block the ears and cover the eyes to draw the senses inward and enhance the vibrations of the humming sound produced during Bhramari. [Read Full Guide]

Functional mudras like Vishnu and Shanmukhi are best learned directly alongside their respective pranayama techniques. You don’t need to practice them separately or right away. Instead, learn them within the context of the breathwork through a reliable tutorial.

Meditative Mudras for Pranayama

Since all pranayamas don’t require active use of the hands, meaning they aren’t doing anything “active,” like closing the nostril or sealing the ears. Now, instead of resting them in your lap, you are free to do something with them. That’s where meditative mudras come into play.

These hand gestures aren’t functionally necessary for pranayama practice, but they give your hands quiet purpose and can subtly shape your internal experience. In yogic traditions, there are dozens of meditative mudras that can be used to align your energy with a specific intention—whether that’s grounding, energizing, or releasing mental-emotional baggage.

When to Use a Meditative Mudra in Pranayama Practice

Meditative mudras aren’t required to perform a pranayama correctly. Since there is no rigid rule, you can begin using them whenever and however you like. Here are some examples:

When the hands are free (resting position, not closing nostrils)
When your goal is to deepen meditation, focus, or pranic sensitivity
To support a specific energetic or emotional intention

In a nutshell, meditative mudras help make your practice more dynamic, ritualistic, purposeful, and spiritually grounded. But it’s perfectly fine to reserve them for later stages of practice.

Common Mudras for Breathwork

Let’s look at some of the most commonly used mudras in pranayama practice:

Anjali Mudra: This gesture involves bringing the palms together at the heart center. It’s often used to start or end the practice and carries a sense of gratitude and reverence.
Chin Mudra: Lightly touching the thumb and index fingers, with other fingers extended and the palm facing upward. This mudra promotes alertness and receptivity.
Jnana Mudra: The same as Chin Mudra, but palms face downward instead of upwards. It encourages introspection and grounding, making it ideal for relaxing breathwork.
Prana Mudra: Thumb touches the tips of the ring and little fingers, while the other fingers remain extended. It’s helpful when you are feeling tired or depleted.
Apana Mudra: Thumb touches the tips of the middle and ring fingers, while other fingers stay relaxed. It encourages grounding, elimination, and emotional release.

Editor’s Note: We’ve included Prana and Apana Mudra because they work directly on two of the five major currents of prana in the body. These currents govern upward and downward movement of prana and are fundamental to the energetic mechanics of yoga breathing.

Choosing the Right Mudra for Your Practice

Most teachers will suggest starting with Chin or Jnana Mudra, and for good reason. They are simple, elegant, and incredibly versatile. But as you gain experience, you may feel like exploring other mudras that better reflect your inner state, long-term practice goals, or spiritual focus on a given day.

Here are some mudras categorized by energetic principle or theme:

Mudras to balance the five elements (Agni Mudra, Prithvi Mudra)
Mudras for the Three Ayurvedic Dosha (Kapha, Pitta, and Vata)
Mudras to stimulate the Five Prana Vayus (Samana and Udana Mudra)
Mudras for the Seven Chakras (Vishuddhi Mudra, Ajna Mudra)
Mudras to invoke feminine energy (Shakti Mudra, Yoni Mudra)
Mudras to invoke masculine energy (Surya Mudra, Rudra Mudra)

There is an entire field of yogic science called Mudra Vigyan, which is the study of how these gestures shape the breath, energy, and consciousness. In future articles, we’ll explore many of these themes, showing how to combine mudras with pranayama for specific effects.

That said, there’s no need to memorize dozens of yogic hand gestures from the get-go, or use a different one every day. Start with one or two that feel natural and aligned with your intention. Use them consistently and keep adding more organically, as the weeks go by.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use a mudra in every pranayama session?

No. Mudras are optional in most pranayama techniques, except for a few like alternate nostril breathing, where Vishnu Mudra is essential to open and close the nostrils. If you’re just starting out, it's okay fine to rest your hands naturally until you feel ready to use mudras.

Can I switch mudras during the same session? [Reader Submitted]

You can—but it’s usually better to stay with one mudra per session so you can fully absorb its effect. If you’re trying two contrasting mudras (like Prana Mudra followed by Yoni Mudra), consider using them in separate phases of your practice.

Can I use mudras while lying down or walking?

Mudras can be practiced anytime, anywhere. But in pranayama, it’s best to be seated in a stable position because most yogic breathwork cannot be done while lying down or standing.

What if my fingers don’t form the mudra perfectly? [Reader Submitted]

That’s okay, as long as you're forming the basic shape correctly and without strain. Precision comes with time and many mudras are more symbolic than mechanical.

Editor's Note: Got a question we missed? Feel free to drop us an email or leave a comment. We value your feedback and want this to be an ongoing conversation on breath and wellness.

Closing Thoughts + What to Read Next

This article is part of our Pranayama Learning Series, and it wraps up the section covering the essential aspects of pranayama: meaning, types, benefits, sitting postures, props, and now, the use of yoga hand gestures. With these fundamentals in place, you’re ready to roll out your mat and begin your first breathwork practice: diaphragmatic or belly breathing.

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